News/Events

NEWS

Celebrating One Decade of Collaboration

On June 6th the PA Providers Coalition Association (PA-PCA) held its 10th Anniversary Celebration at the Harrisburg Hilton. PA-PCA is a statewide organization of Home and Community Based Service providers that assists more than 40,000 eligible seniors and people with disabilities, affording them the opportunity to remain independent by receiving support in the setting of their choice.

Evan Forrester served as Emcee while Martha Roherty, Executive Director, NASUAD delivered the keynote address. An elaborate cake, designed and decorated by Carlo’s Bakery (Cake Boss) was also unveiled to the delight of the guests.

An awards ceremony followed honoring the original Founders of the organization and individual agencies that have provided leadership for many years. Program participants, direct care workers and individuals who transitioned from nursing homes into the community were presented with special awards as recognition of their accomplishments. Honorable Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne and Deputy Secretary of OLTL, Kevin Hancock where among the State officials who presented participant awards.

PA-PCA actively advocates for resources and high quality supports for all consumers and collaborates with state and local officials as well as managed care providers.

Pictures of presenters, award winners, other honorees and the PA PCA 10th Anniversary Carlo’s Bakery “Masterpiece” can be viewed at www.pa-pca.org.

To learn more about PA-PCA and its goals and objectives, please visit us at WWW.PA-PCA.ORG

Employment Initiative

Answers from OLTL Policy (Elaine Smith)
Per Appendix C – 3 Employment Services Specifications for OLTL Waivers it states services may only be provided when documentation has been obtained that one of the following has occurred: OVR has closed case for the participant for a stop providing services to the participant or the participant was determined ineligible for over your services. Yesterday, at the PA Providers Coalition Association the following issues were raised:

1. How recent does the documentation from OVR your need to be? A. All new participants must provide the required OVR documentation prior to receiving Job Coaching, Employment Skills Development, Career Assessment and Job Finding. For those participants previously receiving Prevocational Services or Job Coaching who are transitioning to Employment Skills Development and Supported Employment respectively, while a referral to OVR is still required there will be no lapse in services pending an OVR decision. Dated documentation will not be accepted – New documentation is required because a change in condition may have occurred since the last determination was made.

2. Is a participant eligible for services if they used OVR in the past and it was less than good so they don’t want to go back to OVR again but prefer to job search on their own using resources like Labor and Industries PA CareerLink.A. If a participant chooses to find employment through CareerLink, they are not prohibited from doing so. However, to receive the aforementioned OLTL services, they are required to provide OVR documentation.

3. SC’s have expressed a concern about making a referral to OVR and time has elapsed and they have not heard from them or they were advised caseloads are large. This then puts their employment and employment related services on hold despite the fact that they are interested in gaining employment or are job ready. A. There is nothing to stop a participant from securing employment on their own. However, in order to receive OLTL services that require an OVR assessment, they are required to provide the required OVR documentation.

SCSEP Employment Program
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) promotes part-time employment opportunities in community service activities for unemployed low-income persons (at or below 125% of current federal poverty level) who are age 55 and older. The SCSEP’s goals are to foster individual economic self-sufficiency and promote useful opportunities in community service activities and to increase the number of persons who may enjoy the benefits of unsubsidized employment. Participants usually work an average of 20 hours a week for which they are paid the federal or state minimum wage, whichever is higher. The SCSEP is administered at the federal level by the United States Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Employment and Training Administration. The USDOL currently provides SCSEP funds to the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) and seven national organizations that provide SCSEP services in the Commonwealth. The names of the seven national organizations that provide SCSEP services in the Commonwealth are: American Association of Retired Persons Foundation, National Council on Aging, National Urban League, National Association of Spanish Speaking Elderly, national Asian Pacific Center on Aging, The Workplace and Associates for Training and Development.

It should be noted that Experience Works, Senior Service America, Goodwill and National Caucus on Black Aged will no longer be providing SCSEP services in PA effective 2-1-17. EMB

Competitive Integrated Employment
Competitive integrated employment (job) is defined as-earning minimum wage or better and working in a setting where a majority of workers don’t have a disability. The individual is paid directly by the employer and not by the service provider. Transitional work or prevocational work, where the individual is paid minimum wage or above minimum wage, is not considered competitive integrated employment.